Method of determining seismic reflecting subsurfaces



July 14, 1959 T. FLATOW ET AL 2,894,596

METHOD OF DETERMINiNG SEISMIC REFLECTING SUBSURFACES s sheets-sheet 1 Filed Oct. 5, 1955 iILYIII.

M m WW mm m F 5 .0 m .m

Charles H. Car/isle,

ATTOR/VE).

July 14, 1959 T. FLATOW ETAL 2,894,596

METHOD OF DETERMINING SEISMIC REFLECTING 'SUBSURFACES Filed Oct. 5, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3. a7

DRIVE SEISMIC AMPLIFIER FIG. 5;

INVENTORS. Tobias Fla/ow, Charles H. arl/sle,

A TTOR/VE Y.

vex-N3 3Q QSQQQQMQ T. FLATOW ET AL July 14, 1959 METHODOF'DETERMINING SEISMIC REFLECTING SUBSURFACES Fi led Oct 5, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS.

Tobias F lafow, B Charles H. Car/isle,

ha/-5- ,8. IAo'LJ/Z A TTORNE Y.

United n'rnonor DETERMINING: sm'smo nurrncrnse su sunFAcns-e l 2 Claims; 01.. ISL-35,)

, Thisninvention'relates to a new method of ascertaining the approximate dip-andddcatiomof a subsurfaceseis- -reflecting boundary. More particularly this invention relates to a method for determining the dip and location of a subsurface seismic'reflecting' boundary which is equivalent to generating a' series of seismic waves in l t cession in such a manner as to-cause the composite seismic wave to impingeperpendicularlyuponthe -refleeting subsurface boundary.

"In' the art of seismic prospecting the usual procedure is to. generate a seismic wave by'mean's' of a single shot int or a plurality of shotpoints-ar'ranged'm apattem, which seismic wave isreflected bysubsurfaeeboundaries 15a een'two formations having "difl erent-elastic proper: ties}; and detecting at points spaced from fthe shot point shot points the seismicwaves-which have ben :re-

res Pate-ti t waves produce good seismic results .-.:if thereflecting boundaries have little orn'o' dip Howevergif thesubsurrace boundaries have a large dip th'e maxiinum energy of vertically directed waves is reflected frorrrthe steeply dip:- ping interface at such an angle as t'o' return to the-earths and'hence isnot detected-by-the-pickups;- 'It has' been found that by-shooting off-in succession dynamitelocate'd at spaced apart shot points witha particular time interv'al between-each 'shooting 'th composite seismic-wave m y be directed ina direction perpendicular to the subsurface reflecting boundaries-and maximum-reflected: energy WiIl be-detected by the detector spread. 'This procedure is illustrated in the patent to J F.-' Bayhi 2;f706;01 1

-i'ssue'd April 12, 1955} It has been found, however; that a trial-and error shooting 'proceduremust 7 be followed in order todetermine the propertime interval between each successiveshootinghr optimum results. This procedureispof course, time-- consuming and the cost in many-instances 'is pro- 'hibitive.

Therefore, a method for accomplishing; the same result as the result obtained from directing 'thecomposite seismic wave which does not involve the time eonsuming trial and error shooting meth'od is -highly 'desirable.

It is an object of-this inven'tionto provide-anewmeth- (id-for determining the approximate 'dip :of: a reflecting subsurface boundary-which does use involve stu s eon- "sumingandeostly procedure; 3 r 1 1 ri fl described, my new-methodcon'sist's :Qf causing The seismic waves thus detected are recorded. Atany desired time afterthe generation of the first seismic wave a second "seismic wave may be generated from a point sp'aeed'from the first point of seismic wave generation which seismic wave is detected at thesamedetecting pointsas the detectingpoints of the first seismic wave; and recorded. Any number of seismic waves from spaced" points may be generated and'detected" by the def tectors. The resulting recorded traces are subsequently combined in the laboratory in such a manner" as to show up" seismic events-from-"which the approximate dip of the reflecting boundary can be determined.

A" new apparatus'for'carrying out my new method is disclosed and "may be briefly described as a'means for electrically combining all of the traces recorded by each detector'as a result of the above shooting process and producing a plurality of resultant electrical signals, one signalfor each detector utilizedwith each resultant electrical' signal being a combination of the-traces obtained from each seismic-detector. Means are described-for changingthe phase relationship of the traces fromeach seismic de'tectoruntil'the recorded resultant electrical signals in'dicate the approximate dip of subsurface boundaries.

Other objects and a fuller understandingof the invention may he hadby referring to the following descriptioniand claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figs. 1 and 1A areeross-sectional views showing the steeply dipping subsurface formations such as might be encountered in areas near salt domes and showing the desirability of directing the seismic wave toward the reflecting boundaries;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the procedure: formerly utilized forrdirecting a seismic-wave t0- ward'a reflecting boundary prior to mynew method;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a system for recording seismic reflections according to my new method;

Fig. 4 is a view partly in diagram showing an analyzing system suitable for use in my new methody'and Fig; 5 is a diagrammatic view of'anareal arrangement of shot points which may be utilized in carrying out my new method.

Referring to' the drawing and more "particularly to p I Fig. 1, numeral 10 'represents'a salt dome in the vicinity surfaceoutside the area of =the norrnal pickup' spread,

the'generationof seismic wavesfrom a pointfand de teeting said seismic waves at a plurality of detecting points.

downward from the earths surface.

of whieh'seismic prospecting is being carried outl- It has=been found that in-salt dome areas the seismic reflecting boundaries such as shown at 11 often have a steep dip, the dip being defined as the angle betwe'en' the horizontal and the reflecting boundary. Located on' the earths surface 12 is:an area from whichseismic waves are generated such as .shotarea 13. A seismic spread or spreads is arranged" about .shot area 13. and indicated by the numeral 14.

With reference to the condition illustrated in Fig. 1 suppose that the seismic wave islgenerated vertically The energy distribution of the wave with respect to direction can .be represented by a lobe such as' 17. It is clear from the figure that the energy directed vertically downward, which is assumed to be the direction in which maximum energy is -radiated will be reflected at a large angle from the vertical and will be lost, asshown by path 15. The-energy=reflected to the pickups, following paths 16, will'be "con sidereably reduced in magnitude. It would be. high- '10 the" pickups and that the energy reflected beyond-the areaof the pickups is ofreduced amplitude T0 impart a directivity effect to the seismic wave the WW W 1 v rected perpendicularly toward the reflecting beds.

1 I steeply dipping beds may also be found in areas wherethere are no salt domes such asthe' steeply dippingv areas of the state of California. The inclusion'ofthe salt dome in Fig. l is merely for purposes of illustration.

The geometryinvolved indetermining the proper time delay between each successive shot point is illustrated in lar toward a reflecting subsurface boundary 20. In

ferent time delay between successive shotsat each trial Fig. 2. Withreference to Fig. 2 let it be assumed it t is desired to direct a composite seismic wave perpendicu- 7 actual practice, the shots designated 21 to 28 inclusive I will he died succesively'a number of times witha difand the recordings thus obtained examined-until refiec-t v tions. show up on the records which indicate that the Y greatest amount of energy generated by shots 2110 28 inclusive has been reflected from subsurface boundary 20. That 'thegreatest; amount of energy has been rehigher amplitude of reflectingevents on the records than i flected from boundary 26 and. detected is evidenced by a is obtained with other: time ,delays between the succes- I r sive shots. When the proper time delay has beendeter:

mined, the seismic wave will progress in a manner such as, shown inFig, 2'in whichlthe. dashed line '29 represents the composite seismic wave front, with the angle 6, being quivalentto the angle of dip. of boundary 20. The distance from'shotpoint; 21 perpendicularly to the :wave front 29 is equal to thedistance D times sin 0..

If the velocity ofpropagation-ofthe composite seismic wave 29 isrepresented-by the letter V, the time T for the wave to travel from shot point 21 to the wave front The time: delay between'each successive'shot in order s to properly direct the wave front .29 'is therefore equal to My new method of determining the approximate dip of a reflecting subsurface boundary consists of generating a seismic wave from a point such as point 21 and detecting the seismic wave thus generated at a plurality of points spaced from point 21 by means such as the seismic detectors 30 through inclusive (Fig. 3). The detected reflected energy is amplified and recorded by recording means such as the recording electromagnetic heads 36. The detected reflected energy is recorded as a trace of varying magnetization on a rotating magnetic drum 37, with the degree of magnetization, being proportional to the amplitude of the voltage generated by the seismic detectors which in turn is proportional to the amplitude of the detected reflected seismic wave. The rotatable magnetic drum 37 is rotated by meansof a drive 38 and shaft 39. The magnetic recordingheads 36 are movable and can be moved from their position shown in Fig. 3 to areas 41 throngh47 each longituinal- 1y spaced -from'one another.

At any desired time after the generation of the firs seismic Wave from shot point 21 a second seismic wave may be generated from a point spaced from point 21, such as point 22. The seismic wave thus generated and reflected is also detected by seismic detectors 30 through 35 inclusive and recorded at 41 on drum 37. Hence, the magnetic drum 37 will have the traces resulting from the detection of the second seismic wave recorded longitudinally spaced from the first recorded traces on said rotating drum 37. The same procedure is followed for shot points 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28 with the traces being recorded at 42 to 47 on drum 37. In practicing this new method the seismic crew need not worry about the proper time delay between ing subsurface boundary;

substantially equivalent to the results obtained by firing need not be the same.

According to the well known superpositioning principle of physics, one cantake the traces recorded by each of the geophones-Zill through 35 as a result of the seismic, waves generated from shots zlrthrough 28 in clusiveja'nd combine these traces in such a manner as to emphasize the energy generated from :each of the shots 21 -to 28 in a direction perpendicular to a reflect The results obtained will :be

a series of shot points with a specific time delay between each shotsuch as explained with; reference toFig. 2.

An apparatus'suitable for carrying out the combining of traces from each detector isshown in Fig. 4. Fig; 4 shows afirst rotatable drum 50 upon. which the record has been transcribed, and a secondrotatable drum 51 I which rotatable drums have a common shaft '52. The I 1 drums are rotated in unison by means of a driving means 53; 'A'plurality, of magnetic reproducing heads '54 are placed aboutthe rotatable drum 50. The sections 55 thrQughjGZ QOf the rotating drumbo have thereon the recorded;.,traces, obtained from shots 21 through 28 respectively.,.;flhere are 6 magneticreproducing heads for each section corresponding to the e detectors of Fig. 3 l

' :The first reproducing heads on each ofthe sections SS through, 62 are connected together in series by means of electrical conductors d3f and adding resistor 81. Simi la'rly'the; second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth reproducing heads are eachconnected together in series by means of electrical conductors 64, 65, 66,: 67 and 68 and addof the electromagnetic heads 54 connected in series -reproduces the traces onmagnetic drum 50 as electrical signals which are amplified ,by means of seismic amplifiers and thenrrecorded as a resultantseismic trace on recording, heads 74, 75, 76, 77,78 and 79. Arranged electrically paralleltothe rotatable drum Elisa seismic recording camera indicated at 80 for making a paper recording of the resultant electrical signals.

, obtained from each of the detectors 30 through 35 is recorded, as a resultant electrical signal on the drum 51. The time difierence between each successive series of heads 54, is then changed and another record taken. As the time difference, about the magnetic drum 50 of each series of-magnetic heads 54 approaches a time differ ence which isequivalentto directing the seismic energy of the shot points from which the records were obtained in a direction perpendicular to the, subsurface reflecting boundary, reflecting seismic eventswill appear on the seismic recording camera and drum 51, with the greatest amplitude .of the seismic events occurring when the proper timefiifierence has been set on the rotating drum 50. From a determination of this time difference the approximate dip of theireflecting seismic subsurface can be determined, Hence the seismic crew is notified of the approximatedip of, the reflecting subsurface boundary without having been required to use a costly and time consuming trial and error procedure such as the pro- 'cedure. shown in connection with the procedure followed in determining the perpendicular direction to thereflecting subsurface as showjn in Fig. 2. Having now determined the approximate dip of the reflecting subsurface, if desired, subsequent seismic prospecting in areas where a reflecting subsurfacezu (shown in Fig. 2) is located each subsequent shot. i, The 1 time period between each shot may be any arbitrary or desired time" and the time delay between shots 'ing resistors 69,;70, 71,72: and 7 3,respectively. Each using the system shown in Fig. 2 may be utilized to obtain in greater detail the exact position of reflecting subsurface 20.

Under some circumferences it may be desirable to utilize an areal arrangement of shot points such as shown in Fig. 5 rather than an inline array such as shown in Fig. 2. More magnetic recordings and re-recordings would be necessary utilizing the arrangement shown in Fig. 5 but the procedure would be exactly the same as previously explained. If shot directivity to the west or east is desired, the proper time delay between each successive shot utilizing an areal area of shot points however would be determined by projecting onto the eastwest line the shot points such as shot points 90' through 95 inclusive upon the east-west line. The projected positions of points 90 through 95 are shown as dotted circles 96 through 101, respectively. From its position thereon the time delay for each shot point can be determined by use of the simple formula previously outlined. Just as in the case of the inline array of shot points my new method and apparatus can be utilized for accomplishing the same directivity efiect as is accomplished by shooting off the shot points shown in Fig. 5 with a particular time delay between each shot.

Although we have described our invention with a certain degree of particularily, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the method and details of construction and the combination and arr-angement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. What we wish to claim as new and useful and to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A method of obtaining the effect of directing shot energy which includes the steps of: causing the generation of seismic waves from a given point; detecting said seismic waves with seismic detectors at at least a first detecting point and a second detecting point spaced from one another, said detecting points and the given point of generation of seismic waves lying along a straight line, said detecting points being spaced from said seismic wave generation point; recording the signals thus produced by said seismic detectors as a plurality of traces, one trace being recorded for each detector; subsequently causing the generation of seismic waves from at least one other point spaced from said given point of seismic wave generation and from said detecting points, and lying on said straight line; detecting said seismic waves at said detecting points and recording the voltages thus produced as a plurality of traces, one trace being recorded for each detector; combining all of the traces recorded from signals produced at said first detecting point; combining all of the traces recorded from signal-s produced at each of the other detecting points; and shifting the phase relationship between the traces being combined until the phase relationship at which recorded resultant electrical signals are maximized is found so as to indicate the approximate dip of said boundary.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the time interval between each seismic wave generation is any desired time intereval.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS erations, Oil & Gas Journal, January 11, 1954, vol. 52, No. 36, pages 158-159. (Copy in 181-053.)

Palmer: A New Approach to Seismic Exploration, World Oil, June 1954, vol. 138, No. 7, pages 140, 162, 146, 148, 151, 154, 156 and 158. (Copy in 181-053.) 

